Mets notebook: Young: Mets' expectations too high

VIERA — Former New York Mets right-hander Chris Young, now in camp with the Nationals on a minor league deal, said his former team had too high of expectations for him when he returned to the mound last year — 13 months removed from shoulder surgery.

A torn anterior capsule in Young’s pitching shoulder cut short his first season in New York following only four starts. After undergoing surgery in May 2011, he returned to the mound last June and made 20 starts for the Mets. He went 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA and was released in free agency this offseason.

“The expectations were to pitch better than I did, but I think that might have been a little unrealistic given the fact I was coming off such a major surgery that really no one has come back from successfully,” Young said.

Young appears targeted for Triple-A with the Nationals, as the first call-up option in case of injury; however, he can opt out of his contract at the end of spring training if he’s not on the Opening Day roster.

The 33-year-old said his main focus is showing he is healthy and to build arm strength.

In one appearance with the Nationals, he gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in three innings.

“I know what I can do when I’m out there and healthy, and I’ll continue to do that,” he said. “All that other stuff is stuff I can’t control.”

LESSON LEARNED

Mets infielder/outfielder Jordany Valdespin learned a lesson Monday when he took a Justin Verlander fastball to the groin while not wearing a protective cup.

“I’ve never used a cup, but I’ve got to use it, because I’m a little scared of the baseball hitting my (groin),” he told reporters in Port St. Lucie. “I’ve got to do it now. I’ll never forget.”

After the team’s off day Tuesday, Valdespin was given an extra day of rest and did not travel with the team to play the Nationals on Wednesday.

A LITTLE REMINDER

When Matt Harvey pitched at Space Coast Stadium last March, he surrendered three home runs in the first inning and was retired.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper gave him a little reminder of that, taking him deep for a three-run shot in the first frame Wednesday. Those were the only runs Harvey would allow, though, and one of them was unearned. He gave up three hits and only one walk while fanning six in four innings.

“I struggled there in the first inning, obviously,” Harvey said. “I think I came out a little too excited and needed to tone that down a little bit. I made one bad pitch and it cost me three runs.”

NEXT GAME

Who: New York Mets vs. Detroit Tigers

When/where: 1:10 p.m. Thursday at Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie

Starting pitchers: Dillon Gee (Mets) vs. TBD (Tigers)

GAME RECAP

NATIONALS 8, METS 5

Game changer: The Nationals scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to come back for the win

Hitting highlights: Mets— Collin Cowgill gave the Mets a 4-3 lead with a solo home run in the seventh, Ike Davis and Marlon Byrd each had two hits; Nationals — Bryce Harper went 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and four RBIs

Pitching performances: Mets — Matt Harvey gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts in four innings, Bobby Parnell blew the save, giving up three earned runs on four hits and a walk in the seventh; Nationals — Jordan Zimmermann gave up one earned run on four hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings